Word Play

I've joined in to Crusade No. 30 created by the lovely and talented Michelle Ward. This crusade asked all the journalers out there who want to play, to show and tell how they use writing in their visual journals. I don't always have a lot of writing on my journal pages. Sometimes just a word or two. But sometimes the writing muse calls and I am inspired to pick up a pen or pencil and have good long rant or chat about this or that.

I call this my secret writing. I teach my students that if they don't want their words easily read, to write around the edge of their journal page, moving inward as they go. Going out from the center would work too. You get to let it all out, but it's very hard to really "read".

Sometimes a few words on a page do the trick. Both visually and as a description or reminder of the impetus for the page. In this case, I'd spent a lovely day at the Port Townsend beach and used just a few words to describe my time building a sand sculpture.

This is another page, from this year's sand sculpture outing. A few more words fill in the space created by my drawing. I think words add a lovely texture to the page, imbued with personal meaning.

This is my way of doing super secret writing. At a retreat I kept "Morning Pages" and because they are very personal and private, I created a pouch for them on a journal page by gluing an envelope to the page and painting over it. The "morning pages" fit nicely inside and are not easily read by the casual observer. 

Sometimes I use writing purely as texture. The repeated words of a poem cover my background here. Pencil is a nice, soft alternative to the harder edge of a pen. It smeared with a coat of matte medium, but I think it adds to the background texture. 

Check out the other "Cat Got Your Tongue" Crusade entries here  to see how other journal artists use their words. 

Comments

[michelle ward]

fran - thanks for coming to play in the crusade, and for sharing your journal pages. some great stuff here - my fave is the smeared pencil in the last one.....and i always love to see stealth-ness, hiding your pages in the envelope, cool!

[Melissa S.]

Fran--love the variety of ideas you share here. Especially the secret writing that is hard to read. Great way to go about it. Love the look of your Port Townsend page!

[eb]

what a great post Fran! - such clarity and beautiful pages

xox - eb.

[Christy]

such beautiful pages! love the various ways in which you have approached the journaling aspect of this too!

[Megan Warren]

great pages - my favourites are the pencil smeared one and the stealth envelope page - thanks for sharing

[Liesel]

Fran! I love your new blog banner and the side photos of your studio. Thanks too for sharing your "take on type" : ) There is no end to what we can do is there?? I hope you are doing very well! Happy Spring!

[stephanie]

your pages are beautiful, I adore the flow of the sand sculpting, the shapes of the stones, photographed, painted and written...

lovely!

[Lisa MB]

I'm torn between my love for the sand sculpture page with the big crescent, and the hidden journaling. 'Cause I wanna know what's in the pocket. :o)

[Chris]

Hi, Fran;
I love your use of color and of ephemera. These are really appealing. My favorite is the second one, Port Townsend. The colors and arrangement just draw me in!

[Marylinn Kelly]

The big crescent probably gets my favorite vote, mostly because at first glance I thought you'd done it with bead, only to return and discover the words. A great and diverse collection of examples for the Challenge.

[Jane]

Fran,
These pages are wonderful. I love all of the unique and practical ideas, such as the envelope and the smeared text.
Thanks for the inspiration.
-Jane